Delray Police Budget Focus Is Support Staff

May 4, 1989|By LARRY BARSZEWSKI, Staff Writer

DELRAY BEACH -- If city commissioners were to approve the police department`s initial budget request, the force would add a planner, trainer and legal adviser -- but no new detectives or street patrol officers.

Police Chief Charles Kilgore has requested 14 new staff positions in the proposal submitted this week, with all the positions being administrative or support personnel.

``I think (the chief`s) priority this year is to try to get some support people,`` Maj. William Cochrane said on Wednesday.

The department has increased sworn officers the past several years, Cochrane said. ``In doing so, we`ve put more pressure on our support staff.``

The budget request is not final, Cochrane said, and the department may request more patrol officers during the review process.

``We found out about some additional annexations,`` Cochrane said. ``(The chief) is thinking about asking for increased patrols.``

Budget Director Yvonne Kincaide is receiving budget requests from all departments as a first step toward the City Commission`s adoption of a 1989-90 budget for the fiscal year beginning on . 1. Complete department budget figures will not be available until later this month, Kincaide said.

The requests will be reviewed by City Manager Walter Barry and other administrators before being taken to the City Commission for action.

One of the positions sought by the police department is a legal adviser to relieve City Attorney Herb Thiele of the department`s workload. The adviser would assist officers in drafting search warrants, process claims for confiscated vehicles and prosecute violators of city ordinances.

The city`s fire department has requested five additional paramedics, who also serve as firefighters, in its proposed budget. The increase would allow the department to run a fifth Advanced Life Support Team at busy times, instead of relying on ambulances from Palm Beach County or neighboring cities, Assistant Fire Chief Michael Wigderson said.

``Our intent is, if given the manpower, we will be put in a position to reduce the times we have to call for mutual aid,`` Wigderson said.

The police department`s requested capital operations budget is almost double that for the current year, excluding money from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund that comes from confiscated property.

Included in the $410,000 in capital expenditures are replacement vehicles for Kilgore and two majors, as well as 15 patrol cars. There is a request to provide each investigator with a car and each member of the Organized Crime Unit with a cellular telephone.

The fire department`s proposal also comes close to doubling the current year`s capital expenditures with $360,000 in requests. Major items in those requests are nearly $40,000 to furnish a new beach fire station and $45,000 to buy 25 air tanks for firefighters.

A key goal of the department is to provide personal equipment for every firefighter, Wigderson said. ``If we say we can throw 80 people on the street, I want 80 people that can work -- not 80 people watching 20 people work.``